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Sith Knight

My kidney transplant operation which could save me and restore my health for many years is scheduled for October 21.

I am often sick now - ill in the stomach, pained in my legs, tired a lot of the time unless I'm really excited about something - that sort of thing. And I already feel like I have to take too much medication - just wait until after the transplant!

Anyway, that's about all the news for right at the moment. Now you're up-to-date.

Jedi Apprentice

My kidney transplant operation which could save me and restore my health for many years is scheduled for October 21.

I am often sick now - ill in the stomach, pained in my legs, tired a lot of the time unless I'm really excited about something - that sort of thing. And I already feel like I have to take too much medication - just wait until after the transplant!

Anyway, that's about all the news for right at the moment. Now you're up-to-date.

Jedi Apprentice

Awesome, Tycho. It must be nerve-wracking counting down the days, but in the long run you're going to feel SO much better. I haven't been keeping super close tabs on this whole thing for the last few months, so I'm very happy to read there's a donor and that the op is so soon.

Jedi Apprentice

I had a former boss who just got a kidney transplant right as I was leaving that place. He joked he was about to become a 4-banger. So, if you don't mind sharing, what does this make you? And good luck with it.

Sith Knight

Anyway, for a little while I'll have 3 kidneys though. I was disappointed, but my surgeon met with me today and said my old, swollen ones were NOT coming out at the time of surgery. They're too big and they'd have to risk operating on me for too long.

If they took them out, the incision will be as big as my kidneys -which are huge. He wants to chemically shrink them first, before that surgery. Then he may take them out as soon as 3 months post-surgery, instead of 6. So that means the end of January instead of waiting until April.

Boy was I mad about this. With the huge kidneys, I'll still be throwing up and have stomach pain, even with the new kidney which gets me off dialysis.

But if they go through my back to take them out, my doc says they're so big, that he'd have to cut my lower back muscle to get them through there. It would be extremely painful just lying down in a bed or sitting up. Someone donating a normal kidney, which is about the size of your fist, would never have to worry about this. But for me it sucks.

The other way - the preferred way, is to take it out through the front. In that case, he pulls my intestines out (still connected) to get them out of the way, and then brings the kidneys out (through one incision). OK, this sounds better than cutting my lower back muscle probably permanently. He'll put my intestines and stomach back in place when he's got the kidneys out. Hopefully, I'll have a flat tummy when he's done - as I want anything that doesn't leave me with washboard abs GONE! Don't forget, I once WAS working towards that goal, and my condition caused me to have an aneurysm break in my brain while I was at the gym.

Anyway, all this is really annoying. I argued with him about removing my kidneys at the time of the initial surgery. Last time he said he'd take out one right then. Now he's changed his mind. I asked him to think that over. He said he would and he wants to re-look at my CT scans.

Jedi Apprentice

It refers to the number of kidneys in his body, similar slang to cylinder engines. It's easier surgically to "sew in" the vasculature/inervation of the new kidney than to remove and reattatch from my understanding (and I understand the neurological side of it much better than the nephrology).

Sith Knight

Oh you'll hear from me! I will be on heavy meds to negate my immune system attacking the new kidney since it's not from my own body.

While they adjust me to the new kidney (and I'll still have to take some anti-rejection drugs for the rest of my life) - I won't be able to go out in public - or at least not without a filter mask.

(I'll be buying that Darth Vader voice changer helmet for use in this regard -but I'll also wear the hospital issued medical air filter underneath the black helmet and face mask - but Darth Vader WILL BE REBORN! No I'm not kidding. I'm having this transplant awfully close to Halloween anyway.)

But anyway, SSG has always been part of this nerd's social life, so I bet I'll be online even more. My posts while on heavy medication should be great! :crazed:

Last night when I was on the phone with JediTricks, I told him "I was having this operation so I could transform Megatron." Unfortunately I remember that. And I'll face up to it, because otherwise, I'm sure he'll post it anyway, soon as he logs on. (I remember that, JT. I just don't know how I mixed up my thoughts so bad in order to say that. In any event, I guess I'll pack Megatron with my things I'm taking to the hospital. Maybe that was a sign from Micahel Bay that he'll still be of some use.)

Jedi Apprentice

I have seen the results of medicated posting in the past (okay, the user was only medicated by Malibu rum) and it's some of the most classic e-anarchy I've encountered. Let's hope you're a peach when you're wrecked as well!!! lol

Jedi Initiate

That's great news Tycho! I'm happy for you. Oh, and posts when you're high on meds should be great. And you have to get someone to get a picture of you with your new breathing mask. We demand pictures for black mail!